The bird flu is a viral respiratory disease most common in birds like chickens, though it has recently been spreading to other animals like dairy cows and even pigs. The bird flu can also spread to humans. People can catch the bird flu by touching infected animals or contaminated objects in their environment. Virus particles from infected animals can also be inhaled by humans. People can also be harmed by drinking raw milk from infected cows, though milk that has properly pasteurized for sale in grocery stores is safe to drink.
As of the publication of this article, the CDC has identified 46 human cases of the bird flu in humans since April of this year, and it has affected nearly 450 dairy farms in 15 US states since March. Farmers are most likely to catch the disease because of their close work with animals.
Travelers need to take precautions when traveling to different countries. There is currently no human vaccine to protect from the bird flu.
